Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device including a touch sensor.
Discussion of the Background
A flat panel display (FPD) such as an organic light emitting diode display (OLED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), and an electrophoretic display (EPD) includes a display panel including a field generating electrode and an electro-optical active layer. As the electro-optical active layer, the display panel of the organic light emitting device includes an organic emission layer, and the display panel of the liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal layer. The field generating electrode is connected to a switching device such as a thin film transistor to receive a data signal, and the electro-optical active layer converts the data signal to an optical signal to display an image.
The display device may include a touch sensing function which can interact with a user in addition to the function of displaying an image. The touch sensing function is used to determine touch information, such as whether an object touches a screen, and the position of the touch by sensing the change in pressure, charge, light, and the like, which are applied when the user touches the screen with a finger or touch pen. The display device may also receive an image signal based on the touch information.
The touch sensing function may be realized by a touch sensor including a touch electrode. A touch sensor may be classified into types according to the formation position of the touch electrode. Among these types, an on-cell type is accomplished by forming the touch electrode on a substrate of the display panel.
Such a display panel requires a region for mounting a display integrated circuit chip or attaching a flexible circuit board (FPCB). Such a region is called dead space since it occupies a space in which other constituent elements of the display device may be disposed. The on-cell type of touch sensor requires an additional region for attaching a flexible circuit board for a touch sensor to the display panel, enlarging the dead space. As the display panel slims, a side of the substrate close to the pad unit is particularly vulnerable to side impact.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.